Re: torsens

[Orin Eman <orin@wolfenet.com>]

> When a differential is locked it means that the input shaft and both
> output shafts are locked together.  This means that if one output shaft
> is connected to wheels that are freely spinning while the other shaft is
> hooked up to the ground you get a 0/100 "torque split" and with the
> opposite situation the "torque split" is 100/0.

Yes.  Another way to look at it in this case, is to imagine you just
chopped the spinning wheel and its axle off... pretty obvious the
other wheel gets 100% of the torque now!

Now bolt that axle back on... the only torque going to the spinning
wheel is that required to overcome frictional losses in the axle
and wheel bearing - 0 is a good approximation.  IF any more torque
than that required to overcome frictional losses went to the spinning
wheel, then there would be a resultant force on the wheel and it would
accelerate...  but it can't because it is mechanically connected to
the other wheel... therefore, the torque IS going to the non spinning
wheel.

It's just an application of Newton's laws, especially 'for every
action, there is an equal and opposite reaction'.

 Any other combination
> of connection to the ground will give a "torque split" somewhere in
> between.  Notice that I have used quotes around the term torque split
> ... in effect there is no real division of the torque as you don't have
> a differential any more.  The two output shafts are spinning at
> precisely the same speed, and as a matter of fact you can get some
> "extra" torque built up in the drive train itself as the different ends
> travel different distances.  

I purposely left that last part out... ;)

> I don't claim to be an expert on the open diff case ... I wish I had my
> Bosch Automotive Handbook with me ... :)

It didn't say much more that what I quoted.

Orin.